1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automotive relay and an automotive electrical connector box equipped with the relay, and more particularly, to an improved relay structure used in an automotive electrical circuit within the electrical connector box.
2. Description of Background Information
A prior art automotive electrical connector box is typically equipped with a plurality of relays. For example, Japanese Kokai Patent Publication No. 2000-92660 describes an automotive electrical connector box structure which, as illustrated in FIG. 12, includes horizontal bus bars 5A through 5D alternately located between respective insulator boards 4A through 4D in a stacked configuration, and tabs 5a that bend from bus bars 5A–5D at required locations, project externally toward upper case 2 and lower case 3, and enter connector receptacle 6, relay receptacle 7, and fuse receptacle 8. Electrical connector box 1 utilizes plug-in type relays that are inserted into relay receptacle 7 which is provided on an external surface of the case.
Furthermore, Japanese Kokai Patent Publication No. 2002-27634 describes electrical connector box 100 that, as shown in FIG. 13, includes multiple relays 101 fixedly mounted to baseboard 102 with the terminals of relays 101 connected to the conductors of the internal circuit within the case part.
The automotive relay, which is particular to an automotive application, is constructed in the form of relay 105 shown in FIG. 14. Relay 105 includes contact points 106 that connect to a power circuit, relay coil 107 that connects to a control circuit, and resistor 108 which is wired in parallel with coil 107 in order to suppress counter-voltage.
A circuit that requires resistor 108 to be wired to relay 105 is subjected to large voltage fluctuations when switched on and off, and is the type of circuit subjected to loads induced by mechanisms such as power windows, door locks, and windshield wipers. Circuits not subjected to large voltage fluctuations, for example, circuits connected to lamps and the like, do not require the use of resistor 108. Despite the fact that an automobile has many circuits which do not require that relay 105 be equipped with resistor 108, relays equipped with resistor 108 are nevertheless used throughout the vehicle, thus resulting in the use of unnecessarily large relays and connector boxes made to unnecessarily large size.
Particularly in applications where the electrical connector box is placed within the instrument panel in front of the front seat at a position opposing the passenger's knees, it is preferable that space be provided between the electrical connector box and front wall of the instrument panel in order to improve passenger safety. That is, it is preferable that a sufficient crush space be provided to allow the instrument panel to bend inward in order to reduce the shock of collision should a quick stop result in a passenger striking the instrument panel. The space within the instrument panel is limited, however, thus resulting in an inability to provide sufficient crush space if the panel houses a large electrical connector box. Therefore, there is a need to make the electrical connector box to thinner cross section.